Locking lid for journal boxes



March 31. 19215. 1,532,023 D.-s. BARRows LOCKING LID FOR yJOURNAL BOXES Filed March 1T, 1920 Yie CIJ

Patented Mar. 3l, 1925.

El'rl'l FFICE 'LOCKING LD FOP, JOURNAL BOXES.

Application filed March 17, 1920. Serial No. 356,567.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, DONALD S. Baniiows, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Lids 'for Journal Boxes; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full7 clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilledv in the art to which it appertains to make and useV the same.

My invention relates to journal boxes and more particularly to locking means for use in connection with journal box lids of the vertically swinging type now so commonly employed.

rlhe principal object ol' my invention, broadly stated, is to provide a strong, simple and inexpensive locking device for use with the type of lids above set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism for journal box lids which will positively maintain Athe lids in closed position, and which while simple in form and easy to operate, does not require a special tool or key to operate the locking mechanism.'

A still further object of the invention -is to operatively connect the locking mechanism to the journal box lid by means integral with one or both of said members whereby all danger of vthe parts becoming separated is avoided.

Other objects of the invention will ap pear hereinafter in connection with the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of my device which has been `illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inr which,-

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of ,a journal box lid showing` the invention applied thereto and showing the adjacent portion of the journal box.

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, rear and front elevations of a journal box lid having the invention applied thereto, and

Fig. 1- is a fragmentary view of a portion of the journal box lid showing one of the brackets for the trunnion of the locking member.

Throughout the specification and drawings like parts are designated by like reference characters.

The numeral 1L designates the journal box, only a portion of which is shown, to which the improved locking lid 2 is pivotally connected, as for example by tne pin. 3 which passes through .suitable ears on the lid 2' and through the opening di in the box lug 5.

yto this type of spring mechanism and thatI my improved lid may be used with any form of spring mechanism as may be found desirable; The form of spring mechanism shown comprises a tl-shaped spring member provided intermediate the end e ch arm 6 and the body portion 7 with a loop or coil 8. lThe ends of the arms 6 are engaged behind lugs 9 provided on the inner face of the lid 2 and the body of the spring member bears against the outer face of the box lug 5. Vilhcn the lid is assembled the spring member is placed under torsional stress so that in closed position, the spring` arms 6 exert an inward pull on the lid and tend to hold the same in closed position. ll] hen the lid is raised to full open position the upper end of the spring member drops into the slight depression and tends to hold the lid raised. Y l

Adjacent its lower end the lid 2 is provided with a longitudinally extending boss, which may be centrallyarranged and which provides on the inner tace of the lid a recess 10 adapted to receive the locking member 11. The said locking member is provided at the end of the arm 12 thereof with an enlarged head 13 having a downwardly eX- tending locking lip 14 and an upwardly eX- tending spring bearing face 15, which may be provided with a spring centering lug 16. The other arm 17 of the locking member 11 extends downwardly from the pivotal point of the locking member and is adapted at its extreme end to project trom the recess l0 to afford means for releasing the locking lip or latch 14.y lt will be observed that the locking member is substantially U- shaped,l the base of the U being formed by the body portion of the member 11 from which the pivot trunnions 18 extend, the latter being` adapted to seat within the recess 18a which is provided on 1the side walls ci the recess 10. Y

The walls 18b of the recesses 18a are adapted to be bent as shown in Fig. l so as to partially embrace the trunnions 18 of the locking member 1l to securely hold the said member in position.

VEhe locking lip la is maintained in engageinent with the locking shoulder 19 oit' the journal box primarily by the spring 2O which is interposed between the bearing` face 15 oi the head l and the inner face ot the lid 2 on which may be provided a centeringl boss 2l.. rlhe enlarged head 13 will tall to locking position by gravity should the spring` 20 become lost or broken or should the same have its temper withdrawn due to the heat generated within the journal box when the packing therein catches on lire.

To operate the loeliino device a tool is inserted between the arm i7 and the adjacent portion ot the lid and the arm 17 pried toward the journal bott, thus forcing` the lochin@` lip lll out oi" engagement with the b i; shoulder i9 atteiwhich the lid is raised in the usual manner.

lt has been found in praclice that this` type ol locking device almirds a large measure ol protection inst unauthorized opening et the journal boxes and at the same time renders it unnecessary to supply trainmen with a special hey to unlock the journal box lid.

lV hat l claim is z- 1. rl`he combination with a journal boli ot a lid pivotetL thereto, spring` mechanism Jfor maintaining said lid in open and closed positions, and independent spring' actuated means for locking the lid in closed position, said means coaprisinpl a member pivoted intermediate its ends to the inner face said lid, one end ot said member extending below the said pivot and being; movable toward the adjacent portion ot said box to release the lock.

2. The combination with a journal box, of

a vertically swinging lid pivoted thereto, spring mechanism for maintaining said lid in open and closed positions, and locking means carried by the said lid for maintaining said lid in closed position, said means comprising al U-shaped member pivotal connected to the inner face of said lid intermediate the ends of said member, one arm ot said member serving as a locking member, the other arm extending downwardly from the point of pivotal connection substantialljT parallel with said lid and ben ingadapted to be moved away from the said lid in order to release the said locli'iimv liiilbl. i

3. The combination with a journal box, ot a lid pivoted thereto and adapted to close the open end thereof, said lid having adjacent its lower end a rec ss opening on 'the rear face ot the said lid and extending` when the lidl is closed, below the opening` in the said box, and means for locking ,C 1d lid in closed position, said means compris ing; a substantially U-shaped ineinber pivotally connected to the said lid within the said recess, one arm ot the said member engagving' a portion ot the said box, a sprinf;` interposed. between the lid and a portion ot the said arm, the other arm o1a the said member extending downwardly and serving` as means for releasing) the engagement between said other arm and box.

il. The combination with a journal box.y of a lid pivoted thereto., a spring mechanism for maintaining said lid in closed position and a spring;` pressed lockingmember pivotally carried by the said lid, and means integral with the said lid and bendable into a position to positively engage a portion ot the, lockingl member to prevent its removal from said lid.

ln testimony whereof I alibi my signature.

DONALD S. BARROlVS. 

